Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas will only play four teams ranked in the preseason Coaches Poll. Texas made the semi-finals of the College Football Playoff in 2024 while Alabama and South Carolina were on the outside looking in with 9-3 records after suffering upset losses in SEC play.

Last season, Clemson went 10-4 overall, captured a record 22nd ACC title, and returned to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020. It was a significant turnaround after a three-year Playoff drought that had many questioning the trajectory of the program.